Recital (5)

At present, imports of the fertilisers concerned from the Russian Federation are already increasing and could increase further and quickly if additional Russian production is re-oriented towards the Union. Such potential increased imports from the Russian Federation would disrupt the Union’s market for the fertilisers concerned and harm the Union’s producers of nitrogen fertilisers, who are already facing difficulties in competing with imports from the Russian Federation because gas prices in the Union remain high. The long-term survival of the Union’s nitrogen fertiliser industry is of crucial importance for the Union’s food security because the Union’s agricultural sector needs the fertilisers concerned in order to produce food. Addressing the growing dependence on imports of the fertilisers concerned from the Russian Federation and preserving the viability of an autonomous Union nitrogen fertiliser industry is therefore vital to ensuring and maintaining the Union’s food security. In order to prevent future dependence on imports of agricultural goods from the Russian Federation, it is also necessary to adjust the tariff levels for the agricultural goods concerned.